There I was, representing the Taunton Daily Gazette — a media publication of GateHouse News Service — at Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis, Ind.

I remember watching then-New England Patriots two-year tight end Aaron Hernandez pull in a 12-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Tom Brady in the third quarter. The play gave New England a brief 17-9 lead.

Hernandez, as he always does after a scoring touchdown, began his ritual touchdown demonstration: slapping of both of his hands and pretending dirt was flying from his palms.

Although the Patriots lost the game, 21-17, I walked away thinking New England will surely be back to the big dance.

And why not?

They had Hernandez and fellow tight end Rob Gronkowski.

Hernandez had a career-high in receptions (79) and yards (910) to go along with his seven touchdown passes during the 2011-12 season. He was very versatile late in the season from the halfback spot, rushing for 45 yards. Meanwhile, Gronkowski set a new tight end record for yards (1,327) and touchdown catches (17).

Yes, the Patriots had two of the most dynamic, young tight ends in the game.

That all changed on Wednesday.

Hernandez was released by the Patriots less than two hours after his arrest at his Attleboro home. The 6-foot-2, 245-pound tight end was picked up on a charge of first-degree murder relating to death of 27-year-old Odin Lloyd, who played semipro football for the Boston Bandits. Lloyd was found slain a mile from Hernandez’s home on June 17.

As he stood muted in handcuffs during his arraignment at the Attleboro courthouse, one must have wondered what was going through his mind.

It certainly wasn’t the upcoming Patriots playbook.

Hernandez had a great deal of talent coming of out of high school.

During his senior season for the Bristol Central Rams, Hernandez caught 67 passes for as a wide receiver.

His 1,807 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns were a state record, and his 31 career touchdowns tied the state record.

He also set the state record for receiving yards in a single game (376) and set a national high school record for yards receiving per game (180.7).

He attended the University of Florida, where he played three seasons for the Gators. He finished with 111 receptions before entering the 2010 NFL draft.

Hernandez was chosen in the fourth round (113th overall ) of the draft by the Patriots. In his first season with New England, Hernandez hauled in 45 passes for 563 yards and six touchdowns in 14 games.

He sustained an injury last season after his Super Bowl appearance, where he caught a team-high eight passes for 67 yards in Week 2 against the Cardinals, limiting him to 51 catches.

But what went wrong?

Page 2 of 2 - Things might have started to go downhill for Hernandez after the death of his father, Dennis, when Hernandez was age 16.

At the time, his dad was his world, his mentor and his best friend.

Without his dad around, Hernandez began hanging with wrong crowd.

According to USA Today reporter Kelly Whiteside in a 2009 candid interview with Hernandez, he spoke of how his life was depicted on both his arms.

He started with the right shoulder.

“On this side, everything is good,” he says.

There’s a tattoo representing God’s hands, a nod to his big brother and to his father and the day his father died. There’s the sun representing all the good days he had with his dad. Beneath those rays are clouds and rain.

“It all ends in heaven,” he says, now near his wrist, pointing to the angels.

Then there’s his left arm.

“There’s Jesus’ hands on the cross, and that’s about the pain we all go through,” he says. There are his father’s favorite quotes. The phrase “self-made.” A spider web. “Spiders create their own path. I make my own decisions, don’t blame anyone,” he says.

There’s a tribute to his mom and dad, a football and on it continues.

Hernandez’s continued involvement with trouble that began while in Florida is now surfacing every day.